Update:
On December 22, President Trump signed the GOP’s sweeping tax bill into law. Under the new tax code, the child tax credit will increase from $1,000 to $1,600. This begins for tax year 2018 (when you file taxes in April 2019). Additionally, the plan adds a $300 credit for each non-child dependent or parent for five years. For more on
Trump’s tax plan
, see this article.

Update:

Depending on your income, you may be eligible for a child tax credit of up to $1,000 per child. Remember that unlike a
tax deduction
, a tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your tax bill. Sound good? Here’s what you need to know about the child tax credit, from the eligibility requirements to how to claim it. For starters, you need to be the parent or guardian of a minor child.

What Is the Child Tax Credit?

Child tax credits are designed to give an income boost to the parents or guardians of dependent children. How much is the child tax credit? That depends on your income. The child tax credit lets youreduce your
federal income tax bill
by up to $1,000 for each qualifying child under the age of 17 that you claim as a dependent. For 2017, the child tax credit is up to $1,000 per child.

The child tax credit is just that – a tax credit. It’s not a deduction. Because it’s a tax credit, it directly reduces the amount you owe the IRS. So, if your tax liability is $3,000 but you’re eligible for, say, $800 of child tax credit, you now owe $2,200.

The child tax credit is non-refundable. That means that if you’re eligible for $3,000 in tax credits but only owe the IRS $2,000, you won’t get the $1,000 difference refunded to you. Technically, you can get that $1,000, but you’ll have to claim what’s called the Additional Child Tax Credit – assuming you’re eligible to do so. We’ll get to that.

Child Tax Credit Eligibility

Eligibility for the child tax credit hinges on a few factors. One of them, of course, is whether you are the parent or guardian of minor children. The child you claim as your dependent has to meet six IRS tests:

That’s not to say you can
never
close an old credit account. You just have to be a little careful about how you do it. Be aware that closing an old account may also cause your credit utilization rate to increase, as it could reduce your overall available credit.

While it’s not the most important part of your credit scores, having a good mix of different types of credit and an appropriate number of open accounts can help show lenders that you have the experience to pay off debt responsibly.

If you’ve just paid off the only loan you have, your credit mix might look a little less diverse to lenders. Similarly, if your total number of accounts suddenly skyrockets or nosedives, that could indicate that you’re financially strapped and need credit or can’t afford your existing credit accounts.

Before you open or close any accounts, you may want to check your credit reports, where you can see the distribution of your open and closed accounts.

When you apply for a new loan or credit card, the financial institution will likely check your credit before making a lending decision. This check is known as a
hard inquiry
(or a hard pull), and you typically have to authorize it.

A hard inquiry could reduce your credit scores by a few points or it may have a negligible effect on your scores. Normally, a single hard inquiry isn’t something you should worry too much about. But if you’ve applied for several accounts in a short period of time, you could appear desperate for credit, and the damage from those hard inquiries might add up.

To avoid unnecessary inquiries, try to only apply for credit when you need (and can afford) it, and try to focus on cards that you have a good chance of getting approved for. If you’re a member, Credit Karma can show you your estimated approval odds. Though your Credit Karma Approval Odds don’t guarantee approval, they can help you narrow down your choices and make a more informed decision.

As illustrated above, a surprising number of factors may cause your credit scores to drop. These factors range from the serious (credit utilization, derogatory marks) to the less serious (hard inquiries).

In any case, maintaining good credit health requires consistent financial responsibility. If you always make payments on time, keep your credit utilization rate below 30 percent, and address any concerns on your credit reports as they pop up, you’re off to a great start.

Fortunately, Credit Karma can help. Log on to get your free credit scores from TransUnion and Equifax, and take advantage of
Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute™ feature
if you need to dispute any errors on your TransUnion® credit report.

DATAQ Instruments' DI-770 Series Oscilloscope products provide hardware and software to support high speed data acquisition in a manner that is both price- and performance-competitive with stand-alone digital storage oscilloscopes. Two hardware versions are offered, one sampling at a maximum rate of 25 MHz and another at 100 MHz. Both hardware products are supported by WinDaq/Scope software. DI-770 hardware with supplied WinDaq/Scope software really offer five virtual instruments in one: An
oscilloscope
,
voltmeter
,
spectrum analyzer
,
data logger
, and a
function/arbitrary waveform generator
. These features, combined into one instrument, offer unprecedented instrumentation power, speed, and flexibility. The DI-770 oscilloscope offers two analog input channels with 8-, 12-, 14-, or 16-bit resolution depending upon sample rate. Each channel provides a 200mV to 80V full scale input range, a 128K sample record buffer, and supports a sampling rate per channel of up to 100 MHz, depending upon the model.

The DI-770 oscilloscope is provided with two 1:1 and 10:1 switchable oscilloscope
probe
s. The product is provided in the same form factor as other DATAQ Instruments troubleshooting instruments, like the model
DI-730
. Package size measures L 9" × W 7.29" × H 1.52".

Used by itself or in combination with other DATAQ Instruments products, the DI-770 oscilloscope replaces conventional digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs) that lack the DI-770's small size and direct computer compatibility. Add to this the instrument's ability to operate incrementally as a voltmeter, data logger, spectrum analyzer, and a function/arbitrary waveform generator and the instrument is solidly positioned as an alternative to multiple, bulky conventional instruments. In field maintenance and troubleshooting applications size matters, and the DI-770 oscilloscope is the smallest multi-instrument solution available.